Preston Davey was 13-months-old when he was murdered by the man who was in the process of adopting him. The man he came to know as ‘dad’.

In less than four months, little Preston was sexually abused, physically assaulted, and left with 40 injuries. He was taken to hospital three times. Social workers visited regularly. His abusers even admitted to having dark thoughts about him. And still, nothing stopped it.

Jamie Varley, 37, was sentenced to a whole life order for murder, child cruelty, sexual offences and indecent images relating to Preston. His now ex-partner, John McGowan-Fazakerley, 32, was jailed for 25 years for allowing the death of a child, child cruelty and sexual assault.

But the question that has to be asked - and answered - is how a baby boy in the care of the state could be so badly let down by every system designed to protect him.

Preston Davey deserved better.

The Blackpool Gazette and the Lancashire Post, backed by Blackpool South MP Chris Webb and Preston's birth parents Sarah Davey and Gary Nolan, are calling on the government to launch a national inquiry into the safeguarding failures that cost Preston his life.

We need answers. Specifically:

• Why were repeated warning signs - three hospital admissions, an abuser's own admission of dark thoughts, routine social worker contact - not acted on?
• Should children placed outside their home authority automatically be assigned a local social worker with direct oversight of their care?
• How are repeat hospital admissions for children in care shared between the NHS, the placing authority, and the authority where the child lives?
• Are adoption vetting procedures rigorous enough to stop prospective adopters hiding behind a false front?

Sign this petition and demand the government acts. Every child who comes after Preston deserves better too.